Laie Kindergarteners Supplied And Ready

Laie Elementary School teacher Dionne Toelupe (seated, front) and her happy kindergarten class enjoy the gift of cool school supplies from Kuakini Heath System employees, represented by Donda Spiker (back, left) and Dayton Morinaga. Photo from Kuakini Health System.

Shortly after classes began last month at Laie Elementary School, Dionne Toelupe’s kindergarten class got an early Christmas present from a Honolulu hospital.

Kuakini Health System’s “Adopt-a-Teacher” service project picked Toelupe this year and came through with more than 30 boxes of school supplies for the class of needy students.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity of your staff,” Toelupe told Kuakini’s delivery team Aug. 19. “This is so much more than I anticipated. I appreciate all the school supplies for the kids. I know they are excited.”

Kuakini began adopting teachers in 2000, selecting one or two of them every year for donations from “the health team.” Past recipients have included Waiahole, Waimanalo and Kahuku elementary school classrooms, among others across the island.

This year’s second recipient was Waipahu High math teacher Erin Tanaka, who asked for graph paper. (She got graph paper, pencils, and “several thousands of sheets” of folder paper and notebooks.)